French guys hate Golden State? Not Parker

Former Spur turned Dallas center Ian Mahinmi has his first career-double, 12 points and 10 rebounds, in the Mavericks’ win over Golden State on Tuesday. Fellow Frechman Alexis Ajinca chipped in a career-high six rebounds, helping the team stem the loss of Tyson Chandler to a stomach illness.

Last season, a third member of the Mavs’ French Connection — Rodrigue Beaubois — scorched Golden State for a career-high 40 points.

Ajinca’s joking explanation of all the French hijinks at the expense of the Warriors?

In San Antonio this morning, the world’s most famous basketball-playing Frenchman, Tony Parker, couldn’t be coaxed into joining the joke. After shootaround in preparation for tonight’s game against the Warriors, Parker practically announced his undying love for the boys from the Bay Area.

“I don’t hate Golden State,” Parker said. “I like to play against them.”

Does he ever. In his 10-season career, Parker is averaging 19.2 points against the Warriors, more than against any other opponent. Parker is at home with the up-tempo style Golden State employs on offense. The Warriors’ perennial disinterest in playing much defense also plays into his hands.

“It’s fun,” Parker said. “We usually play a lot of half-court (offense). Any time we play those kind of teams, like Phoenix or Golden State, I like it.”

Parker had a relatively pedestrian 12 points and six assist in the Spurs’ 118-98 victory at Golden State on Nov. 30. Expect better numbers tonight, if the Warriors are able to keep the game competitive.

Other notes from this morning’s shootaround:

* Parker is happy for Mahinmi, the former Spurs draft pick whose career in San Antonio ended over the summer when the team declined to re-sign him.

“I heard he played great,” said Parker, also a longtime teammate of Mahinmi’s on the French national team. “I’ve been a big supporter of him. I always wanted to see him do great.”

* Monta Ellis is the Warriors’ headliner, ranking fourth in the NBA in scoring at 25.1 points per game. The Spurs, however, are equally wary of Stephen Curry, Ellis’ backcourt mate and one of the best shooters in the league.

What makes Curry so difficult to defend, said Spurs guard George Hill, is his hiccup-quick release.

“He can flat-out shoot the ball and flat-out score,” Hill said. “Outside of maybe Ray Allen, he has one of the quickest releases. He doesn’t even have to have his feet set. He’s that good a shooter.”

Curry, in his second season out of Davidson, is averaging 21.2 points and shooting 49.2 percent.

* The Spurs stress ball security before every game, but it will be of utmost importance tonight. The Warriors lead the league in steals at 9.67 per game, and have a penchant for turning those turnovers into quick offense.

In the teams’ meeting late last month, the Spurs committed just 11 turnovers, only five of which were Golden State steals.

“It’s important every night, but against them (poor ball security) creates a lot of easy points,” Parker said. “We definitely have to take care of the ball. We did a great job over there. Hopefully we can do it again.”

The Spurs, incidentally, rank second in the NBA with 9.1 steals per contest.